Empties

 Hello,

one short empties post ahead. I didn't finish up whole lot of products this time but at least there are some big bottles and tubes.

First two products are Dove derma Spa Summer revived body lotions with self tanning properties. One is for light to medium and the other is medium to dark skin tone. They are both very light and only with a consistent use my skin got a bit of color. In a way it is good that the shades were light since it didn't make me look all blotchy but I also liked the fact that the scent wasn't too strong. It was present but faint. So far I liked these tanning lotions the best but probably I won't repurchase them again because I think I'm done with self tanners.

Avon Advance Techniques shampoo which claims to instantly controls and tames frizz with Lotus shield technology. First I would like to touch on the scent. It is the same as it is with all AT products from Avon and to my nose this is one of the most pleasant hair scents, I love it. The texture isn't too runny and it foams nicely. I noticed that it gently removed products buildup and oils but I had to make sure I rinsed it off well otherwise my hair looked greasy the next day. Every once in a while I would use a cleansing shampoo which removed everything and left my hair super clean, just to make sure my hair weren't weighted down. After using this shampoo my hair never looked dry but rather shiny and healthy. If I can find it again I will get it.

This next item is somewhat new. Avon revamped their senses line and I just had to get something. It is Avon senses Raspberry delight shower gel. This had perfect Raspberry scent and when I took it with me on a vacation I also use it instead of shampoo and my hair smelled like fresh Raspberries even the next day. I'm giving this product A+ for the scent alone and I will definitely get it again.

The last one is Beauty Glam Vitamin C serum. I get a lot of my serums from this  brand and they seem to work for me. This serum had a bit thicker consistency and I liked to apply it in the evening. It did absorb quickly into the skin and left no residue behind. With a consistent use, paired with other brightening products this on fit perfectly into my routine and I'm planning on buying it again. 

Thank you for reading and have a nice day

Liquid Lustre Gold

 Hello,

I think Summer is the perfect time to wear something extra glowy and this particular product is just that, great for hot summertime.

I purchased Makeup Revolution London liquid highlighter in the shade Liquid Lustre Gold. It comes in a large 18 ml bottle with a pipette.

I purchased it online so I wasn't completely sure how the shade would suit me. It is bronze toned gold but still a bit too dark to use on its own on my fair skin. My plan was to mix it into foundation so being too dark didn't bother me much.

It is on a liquid side and that makes it easier to use or mix into other liquids. It is also very metallic and reflective (think of a mirror like finish). 

On me, slightly sheered out it came off as slightly peach toned but still too obvious to wear on its own.

Here the reflection is seen better, you could blind someone while wearing it solely on your cheeks, but since my idea was to mix it into my foundation I noticed that it kind of got lost in there and I was just left with a shimmery face. Not the look I was going for, I kept it for the Summer time and I thought that perhaps I will wear it on a vacation but since I didn't use it not even once I decided to give it away to my sister.

I think it is a cool product if you like super glowy highlights and I suggest to use it on its own, I think it looks better than mixed into foundation.

Thank you for reading and have a nice day

Empties

 Hello,

a little late but still here none the less. It is my 'collection' of empties and it is dare to say a big one.

First purple bottle is Avon Encanto inspiring body lotion creamy violet. It has a lovely floral and slightly fruity scent. Very nice bed time fragrance, moisturizing properties are ok but I don't like how I can't take every bit out of it. I feel like the lotion is slightly too thick and it would be better to be in a squeeze out tube, at least in my opinion.

Next is Balea Niacinamide serum. In the past I had one from The Ordinary and because I couldn't get it I just found another option. I'm not so sure about this one, I haven't noticed any big difference but maybe that is just because when I finished up the first bottle I started to use this one and I used it regularly. I will try not to open the new bottle and see if I can spot the difference now after when it is gone...

I purchased this tube already last year and I don't remember having issues but this year my face burst out in pimples while on vacation (maybe it is already expired) and I can blame ether this or BB cream... so this vacation I only used it on my body and just finished it up. It is Bioderma Cicabio SPF 50+, soothing repairing care with a very high chemical protection for weakened skin exposed to the sun. I liked that is wasn't particularly greasy or left much white cast. I still applied BB cream over it for some coverage and my face didn't burn. In theory I really liked it but that mass of pimples bothered me so much that probably I won't buy it again even though I'm not 100% sure this cream is to blame (now I used one form Shiseido and a different BB cream and I didn't get any pimples...).

Little 10 ml bottle is travel sized bottle of Mugler Alien Goddess fragrance. I really liked this one, it is still very tropical, fun time on the beach type of a fragrance but to my nose it doesn't resemble to the Alien EDP. It is a completely different scent and while I really enjoy wearing it I won't buy it in a larger bottle since I already have a few other bottles with similar vibe and I really don't need another one but since this is a refillable bottle (I love that) I will keep it and maybe put something else inside.

 Next bottle is from Langhaar Mädchen and it is heat protector and has anti-frizz effect. I really like this item, at first I fell in love with the scent, floral and creamy at the same time (this smell really resonates with me as it smell like hair 'should' smell like, it has a hair saloon type of a scent but in the most pleasant one). When I didn't use it my hair were more frizzy and less shiny so I made a point in using it every single time after washing my hair. I would shake it well and generously apply it all over my hair and the next day my hair were silky soft, just the way I like it. I will start using a different heat protection serum (I heard a lot of good stuff about it from two different people and I can't wait to see how it performs). It has big shoes to fill since I loved this one so very much.

Next bottle isn't very exciting, it is Ebelin nail polish remover. It is very efficient and it cost very little. I already repurchased it and I'm planning on buying it more even in the future.

I stopped counting how many tubes of this face moisturizer I finished up. To put it simply, it has everything in it. Great packaging (I love how thin the tube is, very convenient for traveling), lightweight texture (I have oily skin and something light yet moisturizing is very well received from my skin) and very efficient when it comes to moisturizing. I'm already using new tube and have a backup of this little 'miracle' Neutrogena oil free moisturizer.

 

Long gone is this Catrice eye shadow in the shade Princess Mattleine. When I bought it years ago it was already being discontinued so I know I can't get it again but fortunately I already have something similar in my collection to replace this beautiful dusty rose shade with lovely sateen finish. I especially loved it on my cheeks, it wasn't bold or anything outrageous but it rather gave my cheeks a little definition which is the perfect way to go for me. At the end I liked to also sweep a little over my lids but the focus remained on the face. Great shadow for that all over look.

Thank you for reading and have a nice day

Polish empties

 Hello,

I haven't done one of these is a long time and even this post is long overdue since I finished them up a while ago. During this Summer I liked to wear barely there shades or muted blue with a spark of lavender thrown in the mix.

I'm still on the cream and blue kick so you can expect some more empty nail polish bottles in these colors.

First is this lovely bottle of L.O.V. nail polish in the shade Pure Expression. I remember when I first tried it out I complained this to be too sheer... now I don't know what I was thinking. Maybe I didn't shake it enough and the pigment settled on the bottom so I wasn't getting the right results? With me anything is possible but with each use I liked it more until it become my favorite. It is a creamy and milky color which was super easy to apply (wide brush which hugged my nail beds perfectly), the formula was smooth and fast drying. No chipping or tip wear for a week and the color was super flattering on me. It was an all and all perfect nail polish but sadly this brand is no longer available here so now I will have to find another perfect cream color to replace this beauty.

Next is super duper old Essence Nail Candy varnish in the shade Soda Pop & Candy Shop (I bought a bunch of these years ago and now I have two full bottles left). This is similar to the first one except I need three coats at least for an even application with a hint of slight pink hue. It is less pigmented and looks more natural than the first one. Mostly I used it as a base coat under other nail polishes.

One of my favorite shades to wear on my nails is Lavender and this one was that perfect shade for me. It is Avon gel finish in the shade Lavender Sky. This is one of my favorite polish ranges and it applied smooth as butter. I will miss it but I have another lavender shade to go through.

The very last one is from H&M Beauty and it is called Slate. Lovely dusty blue color for whenever I felt moody :) I personally like shades like that (give me lavender, blue or gray or any kind of mishmash of these colors and I'm happy, especially if they are on the lighter, pastel range of color). It had super flat and wide brush, a bit too big for my pinky but for the other fingers  it was great, it made application super fast. 

Thank you for reading and have a nice day

Empties

 Hello,

I'm back with a reasonable sized empties post. 

First is a hand cream which is a must in my pockets, drawls or purses. It is Avon care antioxidant moisture with Pomegranate hand cream for all skin types. It smell fruity, not too intense. The formula absorbs quickly into my skin but the most important thing - restoring moisture... not the best. It is not bad but when my skin is on the dry side it just doesn't work that well. I prefer the Jasmin, Banana or the Coconut ones from care line.

Next is Avon Planet SPA Korean charcoal cleanse & refine (deep cleansing face wash). It is grey (just like the bottle) and the texture is very lotion like. It doesn't emulsify which I find odd. If I use just this all over my face covered with make-up it doesn't remove it, if I use it after oil did its magic on my face it also doesn't remove anything... I started mixing it into other face washes just to finish it up because on its own it does nothing for  me.

Pretty bottle is Salvatore Ferragamo perfume named Amo Ferragamo. Sweet Orange scent was nice but I didn't use it on myself but rather on my bed before sleeping. I used it daily and I'm super excited to finish it up. During the last two years my fragrance collection grew in size and I have no more room to store so finishing up a bottle is huge for me. This scent will not be repurchased but I enjoyed using it while it lasted.

Bioderma Sensibio anti-redness face cream is a staple for me. Lightweight cream which I use at night time, approximately every second day and my face is way more even, less red. I can't imagine being without it so I already have two backups, just in case :)  I find rose oil just as effective but this is not as greasy so I prefer it.

Next is my must have Catrice HD liquid camouflage foundation in the shade Light Beige. A perfectly buildable formula with very close shade match. I love everything about it, the packaging is perfect for this texture, coverage can be full, shade match plus the price tag is super affordable. I already have two backups but I heard that they changed the formula... I have not tried it out but I sincerely hope that it is still relatively the same because it is already perfect.

The last item is the 'new' Avon Supershock volume light mascara in black. It used to be in the all black packaging but now it is offered in this half pink tube with slightly different formula. The brush stayed the same, it is still huge. I think this mascara used to be known for combing lashes end elongating them, it didn't clump or add much volume. This new formula feels more liquid and therefore it is prone to sticking lashes together. When this tube was still relatively new I had to be careful while applying it but as the time passed by and the formula started to dry it seems like it is more similar to the now 'old' formula that I loved so much. I think I will buy it again but make sure to dry it out a bit to hit that sweet spot when it is the best.

Thank you for reading and have a nice day

Empties

 Hello,

it is the end of the month and I'm back with a short little post about my empties.

When I purchased my bottle of Bvlgari Aqua Divina fragrance it also came with these two miniatures, body lotion and a body wash which I took with me on my trip. This fragrance smells like a spa to me. Fresh, relaxing, calming, salty but cold. Like a walk down the beach in the Spring time, before the sun lotion is in the air and I also smell grey stones in here. The kind of stones they use for a massage... Very interesting scent and I made a significant dent in my fragrance bottle but I decided to completely finish up these two minis. The body wash smelled a bit oilier and the lotion came off a bit fresher. I enjoyed using them up and if I could get them separate I would.

Next is another body wash and this one is from Balea, soft-öl dusche body wash. Creamy in texture and in the scent, very pleasant but the texture was a bit too liquid for my liking since I used it up way too fast. I probably won't buy it again because I prefer to use body wash that is a bit thicker so majority doesn't get spilled into my drain. 

The last items are two dry shampoos. First is Batiste Fresh. Fresh scent indeed and I  liked it very much, my hair got visibly refreshed and the scent didn't interfere too much with my fragrances so I already repurchased it.

And the last one is dry shampoo from Langhaar Mädchen, floral and powdery. Quite strong scent  but since I like it it didn't bother me. I actually finish another bottle before and I really liked it, but now I feel like I won't buy it again since the white residue bothered me. I don't know if previous versions weren't as white or I just didn't notice it... it started to bother me so I will buy dry shampoos from other brands.

Thank you for reading and have a nice day

Empties

 Hello,

I just got back from a short trip to the beachside and managed to finish up some SPF lotions, unfortunately none of these will be repurchased since I found others to suit me better.

First item is this large, 400 ml bottle of Ziaja Orange butter body lotion. It took me months to finish it up and I'm still not sick of it. Love the convenient pump and the lotion type of this moisturizer, it spread easily and nourished my skin (no dry or itchy skin) and the scent is mild but very lovely orange blossom type. Very nice to go to bed and sleep well with it. I will repurchase it.

Next is another Ziaja product but this one is sun cream for the face with high SPF 50 in a light shade. Surprisingly the shade is not orange at all and I can see people actually match this shade, for me it was still too dark but I'm pretty pale. Putting shade aside the formula was a bit weird. At first it looks nice but since it is a bit greasy (still it is a chemical sun protection with ingredient called Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzonate) it takes some rubbing to get it around and then the tint starts to separate and I just couldn't get an even application no matter how much I tried. There were areas full of tint and some without, it looked weird so at the end I just used it all over my legs and even then I had to be careful not to rub them together (since the tint would lift and start flaking) or rub it against some fabric. It did survive swimming in the ocean since after an hour of being in the water the tint was still there, uneven but still. 

Neutrogena Hydro boost city protect fluid with SPF 25 intrigued me since I love their oil free face moisturizer which comes in the same packaging... I thought that this might be similar but with added SPF, a quick check at the ingredients list told me I was wrong and also the formula feels very different. It feels like a cream but doesn't absorb quickly, it also leaves a greasy residue which I don't like on my already oily skin and it is just slightly tinted light blue. It is a chemical sun cream and contains Octocrylene. I haven't used it on my face more that three times since I didn't like the feeling on my face but I used it on my body and I had no reactions or sun burns.

My tube of Skinfood Tomato sun cream with SPF 35++ is very old. I used to love to use it on my face but I was never able to finish it up, so this year I just took it with me and layer it over some other sun creams all over my body. It is a true mineral protection with Zinc Oxide and cast a white layer all over. At first it is pretty greasy but over a few minutes it tones it down (it was not matte but not overly greasy). I always put some BB cream over it (I like a little coverage even at the beach + some tint helps with a white cast). This never cause my skin to break out so I thought that it will be forever repurchased but since I found something better with no white residue so I won't buy it again.

Next is one of my favorite deodorants and it is Nivea deo beauty elixir deomil fresh option. I had different one before within the same line and would get it again but they discontinued this line of products and I was only able to get one bottle of this fresh version. It is very similar in term of scent, creamy and some what fresh, like clean laundry. Since it is a deodorant it didn't stop me from sweating but I'm okay with it as long I don't stink. This really was nice (love the creamy non-irritable texture and pleasant scent) so I was disappointed when I couldn't find it anymore.

And the very last item is The Body Shop tea tree anti-imperfection daily solution. I love tea tree products since my skin likes them and my acne not so much :) I loved using it in the evening under my moisturizer. It is a watery serum which absorbed quickly into my skin. Did it make my skin drastically different? I honestly don't know but the psychological effect felt real. Give me products with tea tree scent and I will apply them regularly with joy ;) I might repurchase it since the easily absorbed formula felt good.

Thank you for reading and have a nice day